As the main political parties and supermarkets vie for the greenest credentials, the nation is being asked to choose the symbol that best represents the British environment.

The salmon was the choice of the 13,000 staff polled by the Environment Agency, which compiled the list after nominations from staff.

Next was the Thames Barrier and in third place the otter.

Also among the list of contenders — which include species, habitats, places and manmade icons — are Dartmoor, the Eden Project, hedgerows, bluebell woods, the barn owl, the bicycle, the hedgehog, a windmill and windfarm and a recycling logo.

The symbols are to appear online today on www.icons.org.uk and voting will be open until January 5.

Helen McCallum, spokeswoman for the agency, said: “The shortlist embraces natural heritage species and habitats that we revere, human ingenuity that showcases integration with the environment, and symbols of our increasing efforts to protect the planet from over-exploitation.

“In particular, iconic species like the salmon and otter hold a special place in the hearts of our staff, given the work we have done over the past ten years to ensure their survival.”

Ten years ago only 2 per cent of salmon rivers in England and Wales had sustainable fish stocks but after the clean up of the nation’s waterways the figure is now as high as 35 per cent. Rivers are the cleanest they have been since the Industrial Revolution and otters have made an astonishing recovery.

The Thames Barrier was chosen not only as a magnificent engineering feat, providing London’s main defence against tidal surges, but also because it is a symbol of how humans will have to adapt in coming years as climate change brings rising sea levels and storms become more frequent and fierce.

The search for the favourite environment icon is separate from the national icons list launched on the same website in January which is updated every three months. But the latest “Portrait of England” list launched today also has a green tinge and feature examples of England’s natural beauty.

Among the new entrants are the Peak District, the Thames, narrow boats on canals, the rose, the robin and the English weather.

The other new images which have been chosen as quintessentially English are the V-sign for victory, which has been flashed by true Britons including Winston Churchill and Liam Gallagher; Winnie the Pooh; Doctor Who; the stiff upper lip; roast beef and Yorkshire pudding; the Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper album; Cheddar cheese; the Rolls-Royce; the Tube map; Ironbridge; Guy Fawkes Night; the red telephone box; Wimbledon; and Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management. It is the third set of cultural treasures to be announced by the online government-backed Icons project. More than 800,000 people have visited the website, among them teachers who use the icons for classroom discussion.

The icons were nominated by the public before being selected by a panel of experts.

Among the first 12 icons announced in January were the Empire Windrush, a cup of tea, and the Routemaster bus, while a further 21 selected in April included Brick Lane, the miniskirt, York Minster, and the pub.

Jerry Doyle, managing director of Icons, said: “All the icons chosen for a place of honour in the Icons collection are developing into a vibrant portrait of England.”

The project is funded by Culture Online, part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

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